A communication device, such as a radio, may include one or more microphones for receiving speech from a user of the communication device. Typically, the communication device includes one or more acoustic microphones through which sound waves are converted into electrical signals, which may then be amplified, transmitted, or recorded. Acoustic microphones are configured to receive ambient environmental noise in addition to the user's speech. In a noisy environment, for example, next to a highway or in a loud manufacturing plant, the ambient environmental noise level may be louder than speech signals received by the acoustic microphones. When the ambient environmental noise level is relatively loud in comparison with the user's speech, a receiver of the user's speech may be unable to understand the speech.
Some communication devices are configured with one or more structural microphones. Structural microphones are vibration sensitive microphones that can receive the user's speech based on coupling of vibration generated when the user speaks. More particularly, while acoustic microphones generate sound by receiving vibrations from the air, a structural microphone receive a signal directly from vibration of physical matter such as bone, flesh, plastic, or any solid structure, and not from the air. Therefore, structural microphones differ from acoustic microphones in that they generate sound from direct coupling to physical matter.
However, speech obtained with a structural microphone is unnatural, i.e., the speech does not have the natural properties or qualities of speech obtained with an acoustic microphone. For example, speech obtained with a structural microphone may be muffled or sound like machine generated speech and may include no or relatively little ambient environmental noise.
To improve usability of the communication device, in some environments, the communication device may be configured to be attached to the user's body. For instance, in a gaming application, the communication device may include one or more structural microphones and may be wearable on the user's neck, thereby free the user's hands for other use. In such a case, the user's speech may be obtained by the structural microphone in the communication device. The structural microphone may obtain the speech based on vibrations from the user's neck that is generated from the user's throat and vocal cord while the user is speaking. In another case, the communication device may be worn on the user's head, wherein the structural microphone may obtain the user's speech based on vibrations from the user's head that is generated while the user is speaking. In both examples, the speech obtained by the communication device through the structural microphone lack the natural properties or qualities of speech obtained with an acoustic microphone. There is currently no communication device that is configured to reduce, if necessary, the ambient environmental noise level received by an acoustic microphone in order to improve communications between a sender and a receiver while addressing the speech quality of speech obtained with a structural microphone.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and method for coordinating the use of different microphones in a communication device and for addressing the speech quality of each of the microphones.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.